Rudy Giuliani must pay his ex-defense lawyer’s firm $1.36 million plus interest in unpaid legal bills, a New York state judge ruled Wednesday.
Judge Arthur Engoron said the firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron was entitled to the amount for partner Robert Costello’s work representing the ex-New York City mayor as he faced investigations over his dealings in Ukraine and work for President Trump following the 2020 election.
Giuliani contended he never agreed to pay the fees and didn’t receive the bills, but the judge rejected the arguments.
“First, he provides no details to support this denial, such as his mailing address and how often and when he checks his mail,” Engoron wrote. “Second, and more tellingly, one of his checks references his DHC file number… and one references an invoice number.”
Engoron previously oversaw Trump’s civil fraud trial and imposed a roughly $500 million penalty against his business empire. An appeals court wiped the penalty last month.
Costello represented Giuliani between November 2019 and July 2023.
During that time, Giuliani stared down investigations by both Congress and special counsel Jack Smith into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, as well as by Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis (D).
Giuliani was an unindicted co-conspirator in Smith’s charging of Trump, which was dismissed after he won a second White House term. Willis did charge Giuliani, but she was disqualified from prosecuting the case and this week lost her final bid to appeal it. A separate criminal case in Arizona against Giuliani is ongoing.
Davidoff Hutcher & Citron sued over bills to Giuliani it said totaled $1.57 million. The firm said he had initially paid $194,000, later paid another $20,000 but failed to send the remaining $1.36 million.
The judge’s order requires Giuliani to pay that amount plus interest, which started accruing in October 2023, one month after the lawsuit was filed.
The Hill has reached out to Davidoff Hutcher & Citron and a spokesperson for Giuliani for comment.
Giuliani was injured in a car accident last month but has since been released from the hospital.
